Graphtec Print and Cut Issue

[Tek Wrap]

Hello! So I just got all my equipment for my shop that opens in May, and I am trying to get familiar with my new equipment before I open. I have an HP L260, & a Graphtec 8600-130, and I am using SAi FlexiPRINT HP Edition for my RIP. The only X-factor to me is Flexi. I have always used Onyx in the past so I am not all that comfortable in Flexi, although it seems fairly easy.

So here is my issue. I have oval decals I am printing and cutting on a 42" roll of vinyl. I send the print and it prints fine. I then go to my cutter in the RIP and send the cut file. The cutter reads the crop marks and starts to cut. The first one is almost dead on and then it just keeps getting further away from the decal with each cut. It's almost like the scale of the cut file is a bit too small.

Any ideas as to what would cause it to scale the cut file down? The file is small enough that roll size isn't the issue.

Any help would be grand!

 

[ColoPrinthead]

You may need to recalibrate your Graphtec. You might try calling Graphtec, they have been very responsive for me in the past (returned my call within 2-4 hours and provided solutions)1-800-854-8385.

I am used to seeing some variance on the print cut's I've done on several different graphtecs, if the decals are small I generally try to keep each print cut gang to around 2-4 ft as I feel the longer you run it the farther of it gets.

 

[Tek Wrap]

Thanks for the response.

I'm pretty sure it's a setting in Flexi, as both machines are brand new. I could be wrong. I will call graphtec on Monday. In Flexi, the print file settings I use for the media automatically transfer over to the cut file, right? Or do I have to manually set them in the cutter settings before I send the plot file? With Onyx this was done automatically.

 

[Tek Wrap]

So I tried going through Cutting Master 3 instead of flexi and I can't even get it to create the registartion marks in Illustrator. They had me try installing cutting master 2 and it creats the reg marks, but the cutter won't scan them. My head is gonna explode. now i am waiting on a cal from wither graphtec, flexi, or the company that sold me the equipment. ....crickets

 

[Supergirl]

FWIW,

i cut with cutting master 2 from illustrator (CM 3 is not compatible with my 7000)

i draw a rectangle around my shape (no fill, black stroke) then file, cutting master, registration marks.

type 2 automatic, then check "convert rectangle"


note that your rectangle/registration marks MUST be well away from the edge on the right side and on the back. i believe in the back, it's like 4 inches, right side more than an inch, left side a little less and 2-3 inches in the front.

 

[Dennis422]

Make sure you have all 3 pinch rollers down at the same pressure.

My first few cuts were like that until I made sure the rollers are pressing with the same pressure.
That might help.

No issues with CM3 here, works like a charm with my Illustrator.

 

[kindlekreative]

No issues with CM3 here, works like a charm with my Illustrator.

I've got the same setup, L260 + 8600 + Onyx and/or CM3. I thought I had it locked in pretty well but now its all over the place. I can't get close to an accurate cut and the kicker is that it's not consistently off in the same direction every time. I can't even print cut a simple circle at this point. Any reason why my cutting is so off all of a sudden?

 

[Charlie J]

BUMP


I recently bought a brand new 8600 and I am having this same issue. Can anyone help?

 

[Dennis422]

Make sure your Firmware is up to date. I believe current version is 2.5.
I just did that last week. Download the file and instructions from Graphtec web site. That fixed the issue I had

Also, if you are printing on the Latex printer and cheaper material, make sure you heat is down as much as possible to prevent material deformation.

Good luck

 

[Charlie J]

I'll try the firmware update and I'll report back. I'm printing with a Roland Eco Sol.

 

[bigsign]

Crop marks

We have found the crop marks must be 1.5 to 2" from the edge. Second in FlexiPrint (Rip and Print) check under Registration mark (one set for all copies). I use Graphtec type 2.

 

[Charlie J]

Firmware update did nothing. I changed the arms sensor speed setting from "Normal" to "ISM" (whatever that means) and that has solved the issue so far.

 

[BrandonEifert]

Cant adjust registration marks

We have found the crop marks must be 1.5 to 2" from the edge. Second in FlexiPrint (Rip and Print) check under Registration mark (one set for all copies). I use Graphtec type 2.

BigSign,

When I go into the rip/print menu, how do I adjust how far away the registration marks are away from the print?

 

[bigsign]

Marks

It's under the media tab. It's the position were your image is place on the media.

 

[Snydo]

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c02757539&sp4ts.oid=3974850


Flexi is not your problem, latex printers run hot, warp inferior vinyl and cuts are off...it's well documented. Look for a 'Straightess Optimization' setting on your printer and start adjusting.

Edit: Did not really mean inferior vinyl but most calendered wll warp, I have never had accuracy issues on cast films on our L25500.

 

[eahicks]

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c02757539&sp4ts.oid=3974850


Flexi is not your problem, latex printers run hot, warp inferior vinyl and cuts are off...it's well documented. Look for a 'Straightess Optimization' setting on your printer and start adjusting.

Edit: Did not really mean inferior vinyl but most calendered wll warp, I have never had accuracy issues on cast films on our L25500.

Sorta true...I have found cheap intermediates with real thin liners warp bad. I switched to all 3M intermediates (IJ35 and 35C mostly) and they have thicker liners , like 90# paper, that don't warp as bad or at all. Worst was Oracal 3164, 3640 and a few others. So not so much the vinyl as it is the liner.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

At my old shop we found that if out Graphtec memory would cause havoc on other cut files. We could never understand it. but before we did any cuts we would have to reset the Graphtec. Reset all the presets and then cut. Pain in the a$$ but it worked. We run the same machines at my new job and haven't had any of these issues. Been running since we got it with 0 resets. I don't know what the difference between our shops was but we are set up the same.